Name
William John Everett
13/01/1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/01/1918
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/15521
Royal Sussex Regiment
12th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
PANEL 86 -88
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Goff's Oak Memorial, Everett Close, Goff's Oak Street Name, Cheshunt Town Memorial, Not on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial All Saints Church Hertford
Pre War
William John Everett was born in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, on 13th January 1895, son of George Everett a, Baker & Confectioner and Elizabeth Everett (nee Gayler). The sixth of ten children.
He was Baptised on 17th February 1895, in Cheshunt, Herts.
1901 Census records William aged 6, living with his parents and six siblings at, 186 High Street, Cheshunt, Herts. His uncle Daniel Gayler was living with the family, and they have a live-in General Servant.
1911 Census records William aged 16, working as a Nurseryman, living with his parents and eight siblings in, Lucas End, Goff’s Oak, Cheshunt, Herts.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford, joining The Hertfordshire Regiment, Private 5844, later transferred to The Royal Sussex becoming Private 15521. G/15521 Private William John Everett was one of six Other Ranks killed in action with the 12th Battalion in the Ypres Sector on 21 January 1918. The 12th was one of three Service battalions, with the 11th & 13th, known as Lowther's Lambs after the CO who raised them, Colonel Claude Lowther, and their mascot, a Southdown sheep. They were in many ways the most iconic of the Kitchener or 'Pals' Battalions raised in WW1 by the Regiment. There is a website devoted to them: www.royalsussex-southdowns.co.uk
Additional Information
His mother Elizabeth received a dependents pension of 5/- a week from 6th November 1918, and his effects of £8-16s-2d Pay Owing and his War gratuity of £9-10s-00d.
In June 1997 Broxbourne Borough Council received a suggestion from the Chairman of Goffs Oak Community Association to name roads to commemorate the men who lost their lives in the two world wars who are displayed on the Goffs Oak War Memorial. It was decided that these names should be used for the large development in Hammond Street Road, this soldier has one of the surnames chosen "Everett Close" – the reason for the names selected (as opposed to others) is not known.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Brian Lodge, www.royalsussex-southdowns.co.uk
